


roses are red/so's arthur's face

by platonic_boner



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bodyswap, Canon Era, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 08:05:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12207183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platonic_boner/pseuds/platonic_boner
Summary: Leon and Arthur switch bodies as a result of an evil spell. Merlin is not impressed when they try to hide it from him.





	roses are red/so's arthur's face

It's due to one of Morgana's evil plots that Arthur finds himself inhabiting Leon's body, and Leon inhabiting his, sometime during the first year of his reign. If not for Leon’s quick action, Arthur knows that one of Morgana's allies would be impersonating him right now, and Arthur would probably be dead. So Arthur is grateful. Also, Leon is probably the best person to be in this situation with - he will be a capable and fair ruler, and his skill with a sword nearly matches Arthur's. And Arthur absolutely trusts Leon not to take advantage of his new (and hopefully temporary) station as king of Camelot. But it's still a very … _problematic_ situation.

Only Arthur, Leon, and Arthur's most trusted advisor Agravaine take part in deciding what to do. Leon cautions that this delicate situation might make Camelot seem weak, and so they should keep it secret from everyone except for a carefully chosen few. Arthur agrees with this. He disagrees, however, with Agravaine's opinion that they should reveal it to absolutely no one.

"We must at least tell Gaius so he can work out a cure," Arthur argues. "And Merlin, since - since he’s always around me, and a few of the knights ought to be told-"

But Agravaine insists, and Arthur eventually capitulates to his uncle's superior experience and agrees. No one, not even Merlin, will be told. At Arthur’s weary assent, his uncle gives him a tight smile and then excuses himself, strutting out of the room.

Arthur’s main worry is that if Merlin doesn’t know Arthur isn’t Arthur… this could either be very awkward or very aggravating for him. Arthur has been treating Merlin differently lately, especially in private. He still teases and roughhouses with him, because Merlin teases and shoves right back, but he’s also been trying to be more… affectionate. He hasn’t gone so far as _kissing_ Merlin yet, but he’s made it very clear that it’s what he’s working up to, and Merlin has made it equally clear that he’s on board.

Arthur doesn’t want to jeopardize that, so he catches Leon's arm as the man starts to leave.

"Sire," Leon says quickly, entirely misunderstanding why Arthur is pulling him aside, "I promise to do nothing to sully your reputation, or damage your relationships, or harm Camelot in any way. I will follow your orders as always, and try my best to act exactly as you would -"

"I am sure," Arthur cuts him off, "that you'll do nothing but improve my reputation, Leon. But actually, I wanted to talk about one of those...relationships."

"Sire?" Leon asks.

"Merlin," Arthur sighs, and Leon's eyebrows shoot upwards. "I don't know if you've noticed, but our relationship is... unique, and I don't want this to, to damage it. If you could..."

Arthur is not sure how to ask Leon to treat Merlin like the friend and confidant that he is. How to explain that Merlin must be treated simultaneously like he’s useless and like he’s the most important person in the world. How to say that it's likely Merlin will flirt with him constantly, and Leon ought to flirt _back_. Arthur doesn’t know how to tell Leon any of this.

But when Arthur trails off, Leon nods understandingly and says, "Yes, Sire, I've noticed," he says. "I know what you two do together, and I will do my best."

Perfect. _Perfect._

Arthur loudly clears his throat, claps Leon’s shoulder, and then goes off to pretend to be a simple knight of Camelot. (This should be fun!)

*****

The next morning, Merlin barges into Leon's chambers, where Arthur is sleeping. He's carrying Arthur's clothes and looks exceedingly cranky.

"Merlin?" Arthur asks, bewildered, and then is even more bewildered to hear his own voice, not Leon's, coming from his mouth.

"Gaius and I contacted a sorcerer he knows and got you changed back into yourself," Merlin says briskly. He yanks the covers off of Arthur and starts dressing him, much more roughly than Arthur is accustomed to.

"Ah," Arthur says. "And you're displeased because..."

"Next time you're enchanted, you could try _telling_ me," Merlin hisses.

"It seems you found out entirely on your own," Arthur says, and then waits to see if Merlin will illuminate him as to how without prompting.

He doesn't know why he tries.

"Merlin? How did you find out?"

Merlin yanks Arthur's shirt over his head and then glares into Arthur's eyes. "Because Leon is rubbish at impersonating you! He said please, and thank you, and didn't throw anything at me! He got genuinely offended for my honour when I told him that Cook thought I was stealing sweets from her! And I thought, maybe Arthur has finally decided to stop being a _prat_.”

Arthur frowns.

“Yes, that seemed unrealistic to me too,” Merlin says. “But do you know when I realized it couldn't _possibly_ be you?"

"No," Arthur mumbles.

"When Leon asked me if it was time for our _poetry lesson_ and said he was looking forward to sharing the _love poem_ he'd written for me this week!"

Arthur buries his face in his hands.

Leon probably got the poetry thing from that time he caught Merlin and Arthur skulking around, and Merlin claimed he was teaching Arthur poetry. Right? Hopefully, because the other option is that Leon found the love poem addressed to Merlin that was hidden among some accounts on Arthur’s desk. But that’s unlikely - Leon wouldn’t go through Arthur’s papers.

On the other hand, Leon wouldn’t shirk Arthur’s duties, even horribly boring ones like reading the accounts.

Arthur’s not sure he wants to know, but he asks, “So, what did you do then?”

Merlin shrugs. “I held your sword to his throat and demanded to know what he’d done with you and who he was, and then fixed you idiots. By getting Gaius to find a sorcerer to fix you. As I said.”

Arthur lets out a relieved breath.

“Also, I read your poetry,” Merlin adds. “It was terrible, but I liked the sentiment.”

“Yeah?” Arthur says, grinning and starting to reach for Merlin.

He’s not sure what he’s going to do, but it doesn’t matter because Merlin dodges.

“Yes, but I’m still mad at you for making me listen to Leon compliment my arse,” Merlin says. “Now hurry up, you have a meeting to get to.”

Arthur sighs and heads for the door. He pauses before he opens it, and turns to Merlin.

“You _do_ have a nice arse,” he says.

Merlin splutters, and Arthur grins.


End file.
